Affiliate marketing myths: Busted by Monetise

I was in a cocktail bar at the weekend (not working as waitress, to the disappointment of some of you Human League fans) and I got chatting to a chap about the day job. I work as a publisher manager here at Monetise, but to avoid being met with a blank face, I tell him that I work in affiliate marketing, helping brands generate leads.

Then come the questions.

“Ah, so you’re the guys who are spamming my inbox?!”

“Isn’t that all a bit dodgy?”

“Is your mate single?”

Not only do these questions come about in casual conversation at The Dog and Duck swanky bars, they also happen on LinkedIn when I try and encourage brands to flirt with the idea of affiliate programs for lead generation. Brands worry most about compliance, which between you and me, is the online version of “health and safety”.

But enough is enough. I’ve taken it upon my myth-busting self to dispel the worries that are often associated with such an avenue.

1) Affiliate marketing is spammy

Well, not really. Email marketing is very well regulated these days, and all email addresses must be fully opted in before they receive any collateral from an advertiser. Affiliates that go rogue face heavy fines, which usually puts them off.

2) Affiliate marketing is a quick buck

Affiliate marketing is hard work. It can take years for publishers to build up strong email lists, consistent website traffic and probably most of all, brand loyalty. Affiliate marketing reaps the rewards to those who put in the effort and are in it for the long haul. Therefore any fear brands may have should find confidence in knowing affiliates are also very protective over their own sites/mailing lists. To promote something in a misleading fashion would have a lasting negative effect on their business.

3) You will not be paid for your traffic

It’s important to shop around if you’re a publisher that’s on the lookout for a reputable affiliate network. If you’re a publisher on the Monetise network and generating leads of good quality, then you will be paid. Happy days! You can check out the reviews we receive on affpaying to back up my very modest claim.

4) Run higher paying offers – they’ll earn you the most money!

While it would be nice if we could all generate leads at £50 a pop it just doesn’t work like that. Campaigns for competition brands pay out much lower than a life insurance of gambling counterparts, but if they’re a better match for your audience then that’s the route you have to go down. 100 leads for a competition brand at £1.40 each is better than two life insurance leads at £50 each. Split testing is a must! Find your niche and become the master of it.

5) The affiliate marketing sector is too saturated, and you won’t make money

Not true! We welcome new publishers to the network every day, a lot of whom are making money in the same ways as the thousands that have joined the network before them. Creative, innovative ways of generating leads are also commonplace. Start a blog, create a following, and see where it can take you!